Student`s Name

Music Appreciation Final

Presentation
Date

Analysis of “Day Tripper” by Paul McCartney

Analysis of “Day
Tripper” by Paul
McCartney
 Introduction

• In 1965 the Beatles released their

ambiguous and mesmerizing song “Day
Tripper”. Created by John Lennon and Paul
McCartney, the song puzzled thousands of
people with its hidden meaning.
Summary of “Day Trippers” Performers
• The release of the song was in December
1965 by the Beatles band. It was a co-written
masterpiece by Lennon and McCartney.

• George Harrison performed repeating two-

measure guitar riff, McCartney followed the
same riff with his bass and vocals, then it was
followed by Lennon`s rhythm guitar and
vocals and Ringo`s drums and vocals.
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AYZlME
0mQB8
• In 2010 it was performed by Paul McCartney
at River Plate Stadium, Buenos Aires,
Argentina.
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yq_IzG3
FziE
Historical and musical context of the
song

• Both Lennon and McCartney acknowledged the fact that the

meaning of the song was impacted by the psychedelic
period in their careers, when the abuse of drugs was rising in
1960s
• the song marked a turning point in the musical career and
style of the band
• Very sophisticated repeating of a two-measure
guitar riff throughout the song;
• This riff serves as a core of the song;
• the form of the song contains typical for the
Beatles style aaba structure
Listening Guide of Paul McCartney -
Day Tripper (Argentina)
Time Listen For

0:14 Intro: “The song starts off with a long intro

consisting of no less than five repetitions of

the two-measure riff, during which the

instrumental texture is continually thickened;

first with just double-tracked guitar, second

with bass guitar added, third with rhythm

guitar and tambourine added” (Pollack).

0:31 Verse: “The verse is a standard sixteen

measures, but the harmonic rhythm and the

progression of the chords are unusual. The

harmonic rhythm effectively mirrors the

deferred gratification described by the lyrics”

(Pollack).
 Listening Guide of Paul McCartney -
Day Tripper (Argentina)
1:41 Bridge: “Second verse ends with Paul

exclaiming “hey” off microphone on one of

his vocal tracks while a dramatic cymbal

crash ushers in the 12-measure bridge, which

many understandably identify as the “solo”

of the song” (Pollack).

2:40 Outro: “The petit reprise of the intro is

repeated between the end of the bridge and

start of the last verse” (Pollack).

 Works Cited
• Dannenberg, Roger & Goto, Masataka. “Music
Structure Analysis from Acoustic Signals”, 2009.
10.1007/978-0-387-30441-0_21.
• McCartney, Paul. Day Tripper, 2010
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yq_IzG3FziE
• The Beatles. Day Tripper, 1965.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AYZlME0mQB8
• Pollack, Alan. Notes on “Day Tripper”, 2000
http://www.icce.rug.nl/~soundscapes/DATABASES/AWP/
dt.shtml